Cinematek – Vittorio de Sica

Since the Cinémathèque Royale or Koninklijk Filmarchief, also known as Musée du cinéma or Film museum reopened after several years of restauration, they’ve changed their name to Cinematek (which is easier than to have 4 names!) and have made publicity like crazy.

See spot below:

Yesterday was the first time I went since they closed down for over a month. They had allocated for the duration of the renovations in one of the Bozar venues (Palais des Beaux-Arts has its events and exposition part under Bozar). To me, that was the only place known to me for the film museum. I had never been in the original building since I’ve only been going for over a year now to the screenings.

I went to see Vittorio de Sica’s Sciuscià (1946), about two boys who are best friends, decide to make enough money to buy a horse and get involved into a con that makes them thrown into a juvenile correction institution.

It is a very harsh movie. Friendship gets tested, betrayed and deceived. You see how kids are tough but so very vulnerable as well. I was impressed how good the children in this movie acted. They had some hard situations to deal with in the juvenile institution.

I am curious about more of de Sica’s work. It’s no-nonsense and about the little man out there.